For people of colour, racism is an everyday phenomenon which has structural roots and unseen consequences., but too often we only discuss racism when it’s visible. Over the past few weeks, racist taunts towards black football players, worrying statistics around racism in schools, and a Guardian investigation into racial bias have served to remind us of our society’s ongoing race problem. But Mélina Valdelièvre says racism isn’t just a shameful act that ‘bad people’ do and positive thinking won’t make it go away. She says we should confront our own fragility around the ‘r-word’ this festive season…

Following on from last week's piece on Mental Health Awareness Week, which explored how our capitalist society fundamentally affects our mental health in a negative way, Mélina Valdelièvre shares her own testimony and explores how racism and other social pressures cause problems. The piece is adapted from a speech delivered at the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) on Saturday. It includes real-life stories some may find triggering or upsetting...